Posts Tagged #swimbikerun

Omg – 4 weeks this Sunday!!!
Oh well, I reckon I have 2 weeks of solid hours before I slowly reduce the training. I haven’t don’t much this week! I was ill after the Windsor triathlon on Sunday and then had s&d on Tuesday and went to work but later couldn’t carry on and had to get home to bed.
Now I’m rocking again and feeling fresh.
I think there’s not a lot I can do now to improve. I just hope my winter training will pay off. All those long cold drags out on the bike and laps of the pool – please be with me!!

I suppose Windsor on Sunday was my race prep for IMUK. I completely messed the swim. I got at the front and smashed way too hard too early. This made the whole triathlon difficult as I could never seem to relax my breathing. I also had a dicky stomach due to the zipfit gels. They are too strong for me. I need to stick with high 5 or sis. The idea is good that I would only need half the amount because they have 51g carbs but in reality when under stress in a race situation they’re too much at once. I am however going to test again this weekend.

Windsor result – 2:30. This was my target but after a 26min swim that I should have done in 20 and a slower transition purposely ran to slow my heart I lost about a minute on the run too I wasn’t the happiest. I suppose I should be pleased that a year a go I was a smoking overweight untrained blob compared to now. However I think it’s the high targets and expectations that propel us forward. Windsor atmosphere was great and so friendly. I did a good bike of 1:09 averaging 36km/hr. I could have got a bit more out of that too. I’ve signed on for next year already!!!

Long steady training now for 2 solid weeks and then a taper. Going to put in race simulations for next 2 Saturday, with 3.8km swim, then iron distance bike and a 2km run just to get the legs used to it. 2 more long runs left on Sundays of 35km. I’m going to keep training tight in the week and not slack off. Hopefully 2 week taper will keep my fitness and allow adaptation of the next 2 weeks, but I can’t really see any improvements happening now, the work is done – maybe psychologically but certainly not physically. I will keep beetroot loading too haha. I used to like beetroot until I started eating everyday to increase nitrates in my blood- it does work honest but does make your pee pink which I actually find amusing! Lol
Happy training folks.

Apologies for not writing my blog sooner. I have basically started a new job and training has ramped up leaving me with little time. Anyway all is good!
I had booked a week of work and planned to stay at my mum’s in Lancashire. She lives on the IMUK bike course next to Abbey village. This is great. See my mum and get fed well all week, train on the course and be there for her 60th birthday too. Result!!

Got there on Friday night 23rd May after hard week at work. Got up early Saturday and did 2 laps of the bike course.

1st lap was fantastic. I was flying along, taking wrong turns and not pushing hard enough where I needed to and too hard in places I should’ve backed off a little- but hey I didn’t know the course. The course is much tamer than I had anticipated and I averaged 32km/hr round….
Oh dear…I wish I hadn’t have said that, the 2nd lap the wind had picked up, it was pissing down with rain and getting stormy, pothole visibility was near zero and the course bit me hard right on my cocky “that’s easier than I thought” arse!!! It was a painful lap, but I kept pushing on and saying to myself “ironman aren’t made in the sun” haha. I enjoyed it though- maybe just the relief of completing the 2 lap course. I didn’t do the section between the stadium and the main loops though. I covered off 183km in 5:23hrs. As I had done an extra bit and also gone wrong a few times. I was pleased with that. My training has definitely paid off and I was feeling strong.

I have to mention a great little app that I downloaded for the iPhone that gave me turn by turn instructions whilst listening to my tunes. It’s called “Co-Rider” and it has some small faults like reading out too many bends but is fantastic. It imports gpx files and then you use as guidance. I used mapmyride/run to plan routes on the running and exported gpx and emailed to myself and then opened on the phone in co rider. I never once got lost. A few times initially getting used to what the instructions mean. Like slight right actually means turn right if there’s a turning.

Anyway more confident and pleased. I did the bike course a total of 6 laps over the week. I swam in Pennington flash 4 times over the week and went from panicking a little(cold and first open water of the year) to being very happy with my swim. I can do the swim in a hour. Maybe slightly less on race day. That’s great.

I ran a fair bit as well taking in hills and canals and more cross country hills. I smashed my 10 mile PB on Thursday by 6mins. Things just came together and knee wasn’t hurting. My running has got considerably slower since going longer but I opened the taps a little in Thursday and it felt ace!!

My bottom bracket broke on Wednesday and I took it to Rivington cycles in Chorley. They changed to BB (ultegra) changed out all cables, trued the wheels and put a new chain on and serviced it – £65!!! Was well happy with that – not London prices that’s for sure!!

All in all good week. Training numbers down. Only hit 21 hours training instead of 30, because of the bike breaking, but I think the extra rest did more good than bad.

This week I have another heavy week before a week taper for Windsor Olympic. I am feeling the Vibe now and hopeful of an ironman time of between 11 and 12 hours. If it starts with an 11 I will be pleased. I suppose I should be more amazed considering where I was this time last year!!

And remember folks this hard work is all to raise money for those fabulous people at Macmillan cancer support!! Please go to my just giving page above and give as much as you can. Just think a pint or glass of wine cost near £5 and goes so far at Macmillan. Please donate and the karma Gods will be very nice haha.

On route to Bolton for a weeks training. No work and spare tubes and lots of gels. In my final BIG week of 30hours training and then tapering, as I have Windsor Olympic in 3 weeks and 8 weeks till IM UK.
Ran a marathon last week – first one and it was great. Slow because hot and had not hydration or enough gels as wasn’t planning on doing 42km but did it in just over 4 hours and then this week ran 2 x 15km and 300km on the TT bike. Swimming is ok but going to smash it this week and get open water up to speed.
All in all feeling good and also hit my 8% body fat target. Pretty good considering I was 25kg heavier and 30% body fat this time last year.
I’ll take some pics and report back on the course.
Please please donate. There is a link on one of the tabs. Even if it’s just a beers worth – Macmillan is a great cause!!

Saturdays ride ended early – my rear derailler hanger bracket snapped from being knocked off the other day – luckily next to a train station – fixed and then had to make up 3 hours so went swimming and did a big strength session- felt good but not as good as the double decker chocolate bar I treated myself too!! I then round to a friends and had the most awesome dinner made for me- oh God doesn’t food taste so so good when you’re ironman training- I love it all!!

Not sure about this pissing on the bike business either! Don’t want to practice so probably just wait until race day!
Long run today and did 30km – felt good and stronger – less pain and enjoyed it. Managed to get through with no water except 4 km before finish I dashed over to a shell service station and squirted some well earned water in my mouth before finishing my run. Came back to my friends where she’d made homemade scones and lush jam and clotted cream – absolutely divine!!!
Good weekend. Training now is hitting a peak over next 4 weeks- up to 23-25hours a week. Not looking forward to 6hour brick on Saturday but gotta be done if I want to finish this ironman.
I’m certainly earning my food ATM. Ciao for now !!

Well I’ve been so busy I’ve really neglected this blog. I apologise.
I’ve been training hard. I have a new job in the city that’s also demanding a lot of time. I also have a girlfriend 🙂
So all in all great but just no time!!
I’m up to 20 hours training plan now and up to more next week. Going into a 4 week intense block before slowly slowly tapering.
I haven’t heen able to stick to the plan though and I’ve probably been banging in 12-15hours a week on average. I’ve still had an injury so only been managing one long run a week. Up to 30km now though. This week managed 2 runs so all good. Got knocked of my bike at peak hour London traffic ouch- got bruises and road rash but in one piece!!

Tom long brick and Sunday 35km run. Next week I have a 4 week phas of 7hour TT bike sessions on a Saturday that I’ll brick as well. I’m going to the course in Bolton for a week on 23rd May so that’s like my training camp week. Looking forward to it all.

I’m doing this for charity- for Macmillan. They do great work and help people with cancer at their most vulnerable. Please please donate what you can now- there’s a tab at the top of this page – you may need to view on your computer!!! Please help me raise my target. I’ve been training constantly through the winter and sacrificed so much of my time to achieve this goal. It’s been so so tough and mentally fatiguing!!! Thanks everyone.
10 weeks to go- shit!!!!

Yesterday’s ride left me aching. I even had cramp in my quads tackling a big hill on the way home yesterday.
Anyway so today I watched the London marathon on TV which was inspiring. I love our city. It makes me immensely proud.
Anyway I ventured out on my run. I thought I’d test out my new Tri kit by compressport- see pic. It’s extremely comfortable like second skin. I wored the bottoms on yesterday’s ride and they felt so nice. It was only right to test it all out on the run today.
The run was good. I set off a little quick with a pace of 4min/kms. I need to stick to 5min/kms for my race pace. I’d rather do the whole marathon at 5min/kms than start of quicker and then slow to a walk etc.
I also kept coming across people and increased my pace – I need to run my own race. Anyway I ran up to putney through Wandsworth park and back down to battersea park. I then did 2 laps of battersea park and ran back to putney. I averaged 4:45min/kms and did 20.5kms. I struggled at the end. My hip was aching and my knee was aching too. Nothing to worry about, just need to run more. I came home and immediately took ibuprofen and also put on an actipatch, which is electromagnetic pulse therapy. Fuel PR sent me to test which I have been doing. I will do a full review soon when I have more data.
So running going ok. I enjoyed it but very hard weekend training. Both because I increased pace on both run and bike. I need to slow earlier.
Happy training all.
98 days to Ironman uk. 63 days till Windsor.

Well I haven’t written the blog for a while and to be honest have had a little bit of a break and spent some time doing non active fun things- stuff I’ve really missed out on whilst hitting the training. I’ve eaten out a few times in the last week, caught up with family and friends and been away with work as well.
My first real session back was Thursday at the pool. I ran there which is just over 5km. I felt so good having not run for a few weeks because of my niggling knee injury. I did push it a little though and did the 5km in 21mins, which is probably a PB for me. My Cooper test/polar training watch suggests my running index is 64 giving me the potential to do a 19min 5km. I reckon I could do that know if I really set out to do that. I then did a hardcore pool session and I actually commented that I felt strong and I did. I led the groups and most others were flagging at the end and I was still full of beans. I then did a yoga class and ran home.
Friday was weights and I pushed it and was aching in my quads.
Today I got up and went out with 4 other fast riders from the triathlon club. I took my TT bike and we set of for a round trip to Henley on Thames. This route being just shy of 150km. We averaged a 34.5km/hr and I am aching so much now. I also had a puncture. Came home watched homeland and slept. Feel better now.
I’ve put on weight. I feel it as well as seeing on the scales. It’s hard not to get pissed off but I needed a bit of a purge and down time. I figured I have 3 months left till Ironman UK. I have put a new program in place for the rest of the training and it’s getting heavy. Up to 23/24hours a week. Open water swimming is open now in Thorpe, so going to tackle that tom am. A cruisy 20mile ride out there and a swim in 13 degree water brrrrrr…. But I want to be ready.
I need to start collecting some of this charity money now. I am raising money for Macmillan and there is a link at the top of this page. Please give generously. If you’ve been reading my blog, you know how hard I’ve been training and to come from nowhere and over 100kg to now is amazing in itself. The fact I’m raising money for Macmillan has kept me focussed and committed.
Happy training all.